The number of children who either die of AIDS or are orphaned by AIDS is unthinkably high; about 2.5 million children are currently living with HIV. This timely book gives kids the essential facts about HIV/AIDS in age-appropriate language. It covers how people contract HIV and how it affects the body. Along with up-to-date information on the treatment methods used and medical research being done, the book describes the various prevention efforts underway today. This important book dispels the myths and promotes understanding of one of the world's greatest health crises.

AIDS & HIV: The Facts for Kids is well organized and uses a variety of educational approaches to illustrate hard-to-grasp concepts:

Simple and concise explanations make complicated health topics easy enough for young readers to understand.

Inside/Outside perspectives explain how this virus changes the body on the inside and how that impacts daily life.

Boxed glossary words on every page define unfamiliar terms for kids.

Did You Know? boxes round out readers information on the various topics.

Just the Facts boxes summarize each chapter in easily understood, bite-size packages.

A Find Out More section directs readers to additional resources found on the Internet.

A learning map helps readers organize new information.

Come Sit by Meby Margaret Merrifield

Karen's friend Nicholas has AIDS. When Karen's parents find out that Nicholas is being left out by the other children, they help organize a meeting to address fears of both caregivers and children.

Kids With AIDSby Anna Forbes

Forbes has done a good job of presenting the essential facts in this low-key, readable book. AIDS is described as a serious illness communicated by unsafe sex or by sharing unclean needles; there is no further discussion of transmission. The focus is on living with the disease and understanding that casual contact with AIDS or HIV-infected individuals is not dangerous. Emphasis on accepting rather than fearing AIDS sufferers is reinforced by numerous illustrations: large full-color photographs show infected and uninfected individuals engaging in everyday activities. Some words are bolded in the text and followed by pronunciation guides; they are defined in the glossary. A solid choice for libraries needing AIDS information on a low reading level.

Myths And Facts About AIDSby Anna Forbes

This series, written by a consultant on AIDS health policies, speaks to children in nonthreatening language that provides vital information without graphic detail. This series is meant to be a gentle introduction to this frightening epidemic.

Living in a World With AIDSby Anna Forbes

Introduces readers to AIDS, the disease caused by HIV viruses, tells how people become infected and how to avoid infection.

My Life After Nowby Jessica Verdi

The last thing Lucy ever expected was to end up as another teen statistic. Lucy had a plan: become a Broadway star, start a life with her leading man Ty, make her family proud. But in a matter of days, Lucy loses Ty, her starring role, and her parents drop a bomb she never saw coming.

Suddenly, it's all too much—she wants out. Out of her house, out of her head, out of her life. She wants to be a new Lucy. So she does something the old Lucy would never dream of. And now her life will never be the same. What will she tell her friends? How will she face her family? Off script and without the comforts of her simple high school problems, Lucy must figure out how to live, and even embrace, her new life. Now...every moment is a gift. Because now she might not have many moments left.

Nelson Mandela's Favorite African Folktalesby Nelson Mandela

Nobel Peace laureate Mandela understandably gets top billing here, but this collection of short fables compiles writings and translations by numerous authors and features illustrations by a diverse collection of artists. Together, the tales and their accompanying artwork create a patchwork of legends drawn from all over the African continent, from Morocco to Kenya to Swaziland. Snakes with seven heads and Zulu tricksters are found here, as well as various creation myths and a Kenyan lion (with the familiar name of Simba) who teaches a cunning hyena a lesson. The colorful birds, giant elephants and mischievous children populating the volume teach sometimes cryptic lessons about obedience, perseverance, cooperation and the simple strangeness of life. In one story, the children of an East African village must destroy a beautiful and enchanting bird that has brought bad luck to the surrounding countryside. In another, a courageous girl frees a prince from the spell that made him a python. In tales such as these, the dream-like, unpredictable symbology and sometimes cruel morality of myths resonate, and, in Mandela's words, the "gritty essence of Africa" shines through in stories with universal themes.

Positivelyby Courtney Sheinmel

After her mother dies of AIDS, 13-year-old Emmy is left to grapple with the virus her mother unknowingly passed on to her through pregnancy. When Emmy acts out, her father and his second wife, who are expecting their first child, send her to sleepaway “Camp Positive,” for HIV-positive girls. Despite her reluctance, Emmy begins to find solace with girls who face similar obstacles, but a friend leaving camp because of declining health, sparks stark realizations: “You couldn't ever get away from AIDS, ever. You couldn't ever change anything.” Emmy's most transformative moment—a conversation with a camp counselor who tells her, “I'm not saying this disease is easy. It's not easy at all. And I can't explain everything that happened, except to say that life is weird”—leads to a convincing baby step toward Emmy finding peace. Sheinmel (My So-Called Family), who reviews for PW, occasionally crosses into political territory, but Emmy's plainspoken narration and reflections on the loss of her mother and her illness (“People had to be nice to me because I was the one with the saddest life”) are wrenchingly authentic and quietly powerful. Ages 9–14.

Teenagers, HIV, and AIDS: Insights from Youths Living with the Virusby Maureen E. Lyon and Lawrence J. D'Angelo

Who will want me now? It's a heart-wrenching question for teenagers infected with HIV. The number of HIV/AIDS-infected teenagers in the United States is increasing. Nearly 35,000 U.S. teenagers now have AIDS. Far more have been diagnosed with HIV, and an undetermined number have the virus and do not yet know. Each year, some 1,700 young people aged 13 to 24 are diagnosed with the ravaging end result of this infection: AIDS. In this volume, experts who work with HIV/AIDS-infected teenagers examine the psychological and social fallout compounding the frightening medical issues faced by adolescents who've received the diagnosis. Readers share the challenge with teens as they face the stigma of HIV/AIDS and the tough decisions about who to tell of their infection and when to do it. We learn the hard truth about health care, self care, and new treatment options for affected teens. And we read about the heartbreaking end-of-life care issues for dying adolescents. Perhaps most important, the authors offer resources teens and their families can turn to for information and support. And they explain what family, friends, teachers, and other professionals can do to help infected teens maximize their mental health and their quality of life.

What Is AIDS?by Anna Forbes

Presents information about the disease called AIDS by explaining such things as what causes it, how it is spread, and how to avoid getting it.

When Someone You Know Has AIDSby Anna Forbes

Introduces AIDS, explaining what it is, how it cannot be spread by casual contact, and how to act around someone who has it.

You Can Call Me Willy: A Story for Children About AIDSby Joan C. Verniero

This engaging story about Wilhelmina (Willy) Jones, an eight-year-old living with AIDS, encourages children to develop compassion and understanding toward those with HIV and AIDS while it also reassures children living with HIV and AIDS that they too can cope with their illness. Like all children, Willy simply wants to have friends, go to school, and play. Children will relate to Willy's hopes and fears while they find comfort in her strength and spirit.